Framework deals abandoned in NI

The Northern Ireland government does not plan to retender the two construction framework agreements it was forced to scrap at the end of last year.

A spokesman for the Department of Finance and Personnel said although it was still taking legal advice, developments that would have been built using the frameworks are now moving forward on a project-by-project basis.

At the end of 2008 the High Court in Northern Ireland ordered two separate framework agreements for construction to be scrapped, because in the first they failed to disclose their assessment criteria, and in the second bidders fees were assessed incorrectly (Law update, 8 January).

"While it shows the government's willingness to get on with the projects both for the sake of the community and the industry, it demonstrates the significant impact of the earlier judgments," said Rupert Choat, partner at CMS Cameron McKenna.